Sourcing tea seed meal from China
Tea seed meal from China, classified as other oil-extraction residue, carries 0% UK duty, with no duty variation in the supplied heading. Intended use matters: if supplied as a pesticide, the product must be authorised before use, sale, supply or storage. Cambridge China Bridge sources tea seed meal.
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Tea seed meal duty and import controls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 2306 covers solid residues from oil extraction, including ground material and pellets. For unblended tea seed residue, check 2306 90 90 00. Its Chinese-origin duty is 0%, as are all supplied lines in this heading. The record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duties and no suspensions.
The tariff attaches organic import, waste import and waste export controls. For organic consignments from China, confirm inspection certificate requirements with your customs broker and organic control body; the certificate is issued by the exporter's control body. If the material is waste subject to notification controls for import into England, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Ask the broker to confirm the applicable waste procedure, including any later export.
The table shows physical forms under the same residual code, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code using seed identity, extraction method, composition and subsequent processing. For wider heading coverage, see the sesame oilcake and meal guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tea seed oil-extraction residue, unground cake | 2306 90 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specify seed identity, extraction and intended use
Specify the botanical identity of the tea seed, the oil-extraction process and whether you want cake, coarse meal, powder or pellets. Request a composition statement identifying added binders or other materials. Agree moisture, residual oil, ash, particle size and packaging against your intended application.
Where saponin content is part of the purchase specification, agree the laboratory method and whether results are reported on a dry or as-received basis. Compare shipment samples with the approved sample using the same method. A supplier's saponin claim does not establish suitability for your application.
Settle intended use before approving labels. If the product is a pesticide, authorisation is required before use, sale, supply or storage. For feed use, confirm feed business registration, feed material labelling and undesirable substance requirements, and assess suitability separately. Use testing and certification support to prepare the sampling and analysis brief.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 12 tonnes of unblended tea seed meal under 2306 90 90 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,000, so it is £1,400. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Most food for human consumption is zero-rated, and animal feed can be too, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product in HMRC's VAT Notice 701/14.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match seed identity, extraction process and physical form to the contract; investigate unexpected husk, grit or other meal.
Analysis: independently sample the shipment and compare moisture, residual oil, ash and agreed saponin results with the purchase specification.
Arrival condition: check for damp bags, mould, insects, heating, caking and unusual odours; retain affected material separately for assessment.
Packs and documents: check bag integrity and delivered weight; match batch references to analysis reports, invoices and any organic paperwork.
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What goes wrong
An approved powder sample may be followed by coarse, husk-heavy material. Different extraction processes or inconsistent saponin test methods can make apparently comparable results misleading. Record the process and reporting basis in the contract, and arrange representative sampling through the quality inspection guide.
Damp meal can cake or develop mould during transit. Another failure is buying ordinary oil-extraction residue while planning to sell it as a pesticide without resolving authorisation. Check the intended claims before ordering, and confirm organic or waste clearance requirements before loading.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on tea seed meal from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 0% for other oil-extraction residues under 2306 90 90 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Confirm that your tea seed meal fits this code.
Can I sell tea seed meal as a pesticide?
If it is a pesticide product, it must be authorised before use, sale, supply or storage. Check the proposed product and claims with HSE before ordering.
What should a tea seed meal specification include?
Seed identity, extraction process, physical form, added materials, moisture, residual oil, ash and particle size. If buying on saponin content, agree the test method and reporting basis.
Is tea seed meal automatically treated as waste?
An oil-extraction residue description alone does not settle waste status. The tariff attaches waste controls; ask your customs broker to confirm whether they apply and which procedure is required.